AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- Trevor Kerr threw 7.1 scoreless innings and the Washington & Jefferson offense produced 13 hits in a 6-4 win over Benedictine (Ill.) at Lake Myrtle Park.

The win pushes the Presidents to 5-3 on the season and 3-1 in Florida with two games remaining in the Sunshine State. Benedictine, who toppled No. 5 Wisconsin-La Crosse 12-1 earlier in the week, falls to 4-2.

Kerr's first start of the year (second appearance) earned him his first victory in 2016 as he worked the first 7.1 innings, scattering five hits with eight strikeouts and no walks (one hit batter) in 99 pitches.

Benedictine's first two hits came with one in each of the first and second innings, including a bunt single in the opening frame. Kerr struck out the final batter of the second inning which started a string of 15-straight batters retired, and 16 of 17 through the seventh inning. In the fifth and seventh innings, he got two of the three outs via strikeout.

As Kerr was dealing for the Presidents, Eagles' starter Ivan Guzman was strong for his squad as well, allowing two hits through the first three innings before W&J struck for the first run of the game in the top of the fourth. Nick Vento doubled down the left-field line and went to third on a ground out by Frank Fortunato before scoring on a two-out double by Ryan Sciullo, 1-0.

The 1-0 score held up until the sixth when, for the second time, Vento led off with a double and went to third on a ground out, this time by Jake Gordon. A wild pitch allowed the Presidents' right fielder to score, stretching the lead to 2-0. Sciullo followed with a single to right field and stole second, scoring on Nick Gatins' single through the left side, 3-0.

A pitching change opened the top of the seventh and Adam LaRue drew a one-out walk to put W&J's first runner on base against the Benedictine bullpen. Derek Helbing then ripped a double down the left-field line that scored the speedy LaRue, 4-0. Vento's fourth hit of the day (a single to right) followed and moved Helbing to third, where he was able to score on a two-out single by Gordon, 5-0.

Helbing's second RBI capped the scoring and plated Gatins, who singled to lead off and went to second on Luke Zahren's single through the left side.

Two of the three batters Kerr faced in the eighth singled and he was relieved by Eric Smith who got the next two batters to fly out and pop out to end the threat.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Eagles loaded the bases before a bases-clearing double brought the home team within 6-3, which drew Helbing from his catcher's spot to the mound to close out the game. He did just that by getting the final two batters to ground out and strike out. It was the third save of the season and trip for Helbing.

Vento finished with a career-best four hits, including two doubles and two runs scored. It brought his average through eight games to .625 (15-of-24), including seven extra-base hits.
 
Gatins, Helbing and Sciullo each finished 2-for-5, with Helbing driving in a pair of runs and Sciullo and Helbing adding an RBI.
 
The Presidents will be right back at Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Fla., on Tuesday, March 22 with a 10:15 a.m. first pitch against Farmingdale State (N.Y.)